New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-07
ARCADE RAILWAY SCHEME.
USE OF THE NAMES OF ENGINEERS.
GENERAL NEWTON AND j. W. ADAMS DENY THAI
THEY APPROVE THE ARCADE PLANS AS ASSERT

| GENERAL NEWTON AND j. W. ADAMS Deny THAT
THEY APPROVE THE ARCADE PLANS AS ASSERT
EDDY MELVILLE C. SMITH,
One Of the eornse for the large number OF Broadway
and Madison-ave. propertyowners who are seeking
perpetual injunction against the Arcade Railway Com
pauy in its scheme underground railroad In Broad
way called attention yesterday to what he characterized
as the bold and manifold misrepresentation made by
that company before the legislature the Governor OF
the State and its last effort before the Rapid Transit
Commission
"Icannot believe" said he "that such men as Cor
neIlus " Bliss George Coe and Levi p. Morton whom
Melville Smith claims to have associates arc aware
OF or countenance thc-we viii call them false state
ments made by Mr.. Smith before public bodies On
April so, only last Saturday. he made the following
statement the Rapid Transit Commission In bolster
ing up his scheme before that body"
Following the statement of Mr. Smith taken down
by the stenographer
"Iwish to alude to the impression with regard TO the
Arcade road, that 1t cannot be constructed without
serious interruption either the travel the street
the of the buildings adjacent, or without occu
pyng the street for the hauling of materials required TO
and from the works l wish to that it can be built
without endangering any OF the structures along the
street and that arrange for the proper location
of the water pipes gas pipes and so forth without any
interruption to their present connection There are no
difficulties attending the construction OF this work which
cannot be overcome with proper engineering skin, and
a: comparatively small cost Finally, 1t meets the
necessities in most complete and unobjectonable man.
ner have a statement to this effect which IS signed by
General George b. Mcclellan Charles H. Haswe, Gen.
eral John Newton, sylvnnus W. Sweet, Egbert l. Vele
julius W. Adams and others; and 1t Is Endorsed by at
least five hundred other engineers and no compete mt
engineer has ever said that this plan is not
capable of constructor with prudence and skill"
"When Mr. Smith made the above statement" con-
tinued the lawyer handed in document pnrportDg
be approval Of the present Arcade plans 1t bore
this heading:
"sOpinions Of eminent engineers as to the advantage
and practicabilrty Of the New-York Arcade Railway
1.-THE document purports be signed. among Others by
General George Mcclellan. General John Newton and
julius W. Adams.
Now" the counsel proceeded. that document and
the statement OF Mr. Smith intended to convey and
they do convey, the inpressionwhich the commission
certainly received AMI which any man OF ordinary COM
mon sense would receive-that the engineers whose
attached TO that paper approve to-day the
present plans OF the Arcade The fact 10 that in 1870
when Mr. Smith had his first plans these engineers whose
now used in this fragrant manner approved
in a general way the proposition for underground
road In Broadway. one which then talked up by Mr.
Smith embraced such wholesale digging out OF Broad
way at present A trustworthy witness can be pro
duced who called upon General Mcclellan, not long be-
fore his death TO his approval engineer OF
the present plans aud General Mcclellan secuted the
idea and called the plans preposterous. General Newton
is the Commissioner OF Public Works Julius W.
Adams is Consulting Engineer OF mat department ASK
them about this matter"
General Newton found at his Office in the Depart
Public Works yesterday and asked about the
OF his in approval OF the Arcade Railway plans
He said: Away back In 1870 approved the plans OF
Arcade the only of rapid transit IN this city
then proposed. | do not approve them to-day am
opposed To any Arcade road think that II Arcade
road should be built, people would lind that mistake
had made and they would IL. Besides, IL
would much that tho capal could never be
raised for it, would approve OF Arcade plans to-day"
Mr. Adams found at the Department OF Public
Works. His attention called 10 Mr.. Smiths state
ment and also pamphlet which the Arcade Company
has scattered through the Legislature and elsewhere
containing statement with the heading mentioned above
the whole purpOrting In the absence OF any date be
approval of the Arcades plans by General Mcclellan.
General Newton, SIR. Adams Others. Mr.. Adams
pressed establishment. adding:
." aware that my name was being used In this
manner certainly do not approve the present Arcade
plans. did approve them years ago when their proposed
excavation of much shallow er and dimen-
siOns than But since have been connected with
this department have learned that these Arcade plans
wholly Incompatible with the interests OF the public
works OF this city. The sewerage system In Broadway
Adams hereupon wrote the following statement the
Some years since the only scheme Offering for the
Railway, as II then appeared Subsequently have had
reason to view ii in different light and II my name APP
pears favor of it. IL - entirely without
my consent do not approve the present plans.
~. W. ADAMS.
"COnsulting Engineer, d. P.H."